Balance beam assembly

ABSTRACT

A balance beam assembly comprising a connecting base having upper and lower planar surfaces, a plurality of elongated balance beam sections and a plurality of supporting bases adapted to be positioned beneath each balance beam section. Each balance beam section is integrally attached to one another in a step relationship and rotatably secured to one another with at least one of the balance beam sections rotatably attached to the connecting base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention related to a stepped and extendable balance beam assemblythat be safely locked and easily extended in a multiplicity ofdirections and subsequently folded up for easy storage. The balance beamassembly of this invention may be positioned to extend along asupporting surface, such as a floor, in a variety of locked positions toallow persons to balance and walk on the stepped and extendable balancebeam sections in a multiplicity of directions.

Balance beams have been developed in many sizes and shapes. The mostcommon being the balance beams having one upright elongated relativelythin beam which is fixedly supported at each end to maintain the balancebeam in an upright position and allow a person to balance and walk onits upward planar surface. Balance beams have been developed whichprovide for more than one balance beam section to be hinged together bya peg and hole arrangement to allow a person to walk over a plurality ofbalance beam sections and thereafter be disassembled into their balancebeam component parts. None of these balance beam arrangements providefor a balance beam assembly which may be extended in a multiplicity ofpositions on a supporting surface in a step relationship to increase thedegree of difficulty and challenge for a person to balance and walk fromone end of the balance beam assembly to the other and which maysubsequently be folded up with one balance beam section being positionedabove the next to form a compact arrangement for easy handling andstorage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an extendable balance beam assembly comprisinga connecting base having upper and Iowa planar surfaces, a plurality ofelongated balance beam sections and a plurality of supporting basesadapted to be positioned beneath each balance beam section. The balancebeam sections are integrally attached to one another in a steprelationship and rotatably secured to one another with at least onebalance beam section rotatably attached to the connecting base. Byextending the balance beam sections along a supporting surface, such asa floor, in a variety of locked positions, a person is able to safelywalk on the stepped and extended balance beam sections in a multiplicityof directions other than simply walking in a straight line on a balancebeam.

The balance beam assembly of this invention also is provided with anarrangement whereby the balance beam sections are locked into a fixedposition after they are extended to provide for a safe and challengingendeavor for a person to balance and walk on for practice and exercise.

These and other advantages and salient features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description, which taken inconjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred, butnon-limiting, embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The detailed embodiments of the present invention are described herein.It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments aremerely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpretedas limiting, but merely as the basis for the claims and as a basis forteaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, the stepped and extendable balance beamassembly of this invention comprises a first connecting base 1 having anupper planar surface 2 and a lower planar surface 3. The balance beamassembly also has a stepped and elongated balance beam section 4 havinga generally rectangular cross section and having an upper planar surface5 upon which a person may walk and balance. The balance beam 4 isrotatably secured to the connecting base 1 by means of a bolt 6, awasher 6.1 and a nut 7. It is understood that the nut 7 and itsCompanion washer 6.1 be countersunk into the bottom of the connectingbase such that the connecting base may lay flat on a supporting surface.In order to insure that the head of the bolt 6 does not protrude abovethe upper surface 5 of the balance beam section 4, the head of the bolt6 is countersunk into the balance beam section 4. The balance beamsection 4 is adapted to rotate because of the presence of a washer 8which is positioned between the lower planar surface 9 of the balancebeam section 4 and the upper surface 2 of the connecting base 1. Theconnecting base 1 adapted to support one additional balance beam section4.1 positioned immediately adjacent to the balance beam section 4. Thebalance beam section 4.1 is rotatably secured to the connecting base 1by means of a similar nut, washer and bolt arrangement as previously setforth with respect to the means for attaching the balance beam section 4to the connecting base 1.

A first supporting base 10 is adapted to be positioned beneath thebalance beam section 4 at a point distant from the point at which thebeam section 4 is secured to the connecting base i. The sides of thefirst supporting base 10 are trapezoidal in configuration such that thebase of the trapezoidal configuration is larger than its up mostsurface. This configuration results in the construction of a very stablesupporting base 10. The first supporting base 10 has a upwardlyextending U-shaped cross-sectional ledge 10.1 onto which the lowerplanar surface 9 of the balance beam section 4 may rest. See FIG. 10.

It will be apparent that additional balance beam sections 12 andcorresponding supporting bases 13 may extend from the balance beamsection 4 and its corresponding supporting base 10. See FIGS. 2, 3, and4. By rotatably securing additional balance beam sections 12 to thefirst balance beam section 4, each additional supporting base 13 carriesa height progressively greater from the supporting surface than theheight of the adjacent supporting base 13 as the distance from theconnecting base I increases to the end of the balance beam assembly.

The balance beam section 4 carries a pair of vertically arranged andinwardly extending grooves 4.1 positioned near the bolt 6.1, See FIG. 7.The first supporting base 10 also carries a pair of vertically arrangedtongues 10.2. The tongues 10.2 are adapted to slide vertically withinthe grooves 4.1 of the balance beam section 4 to lock the balance beamsection 4 to the first supporting base 10 to allow persons to safelybalance and walk on the balance beam section 4.

It is understood that additional balance beam sections 12 may berotatably secured to adjacent balance beam sections 12 by means of asimilar nut and bolt arrangement as previously described. It will beapparent that as additional balance beam sections 12 are attached to andextended from one another, the resulting balance beam assembly forms aplurality of stepped balance beam sections increasing the degree ofdifficulty and challenge for a person to walk from one end of thebalance beam assembly to the other.

It is understood that since an additional balance beam section 4.1 maybe secured to the connecting base 1, additional balance beam sectionsand corresponding additional supporting bases may extend outwardly fromthe balance beam section 4.1 in the same manner as set forth previously.It is apparent that the balance beam section 4 and the balance beamsection 4.1 must be attached to the connecting base I a sufficientdistance from one another to allow each balance b cam section 4 and 4.1to rotate about the connecting base 1 without interfering with oneanother.

One of the features of this invention is the ability of each group ofbalance beam sections to be rotated so as to be positioned one on top ofeach other. In this manner the extendable balance beam assembly may becollapsed, with one balance beam section being positioned over itsimmediately adjacent balance beam section to form a compact arrangementfor easy handling and storage. See FIGS. 5 and 6.

It should be understood that the particular methods of securing thebalance beam sections to each other and to the connecting bases, asparticularity described herein, may be modified and varied by usingother well known attaching means and still be well within the scope ofthe invention. The particular materials that may be used in themanufacture of the individual components of this invention may includewood, plastic or other well known similarly structural materials.

While various preferred embodiments have been shown and described, itwill be understood that there is no invent to limit the invention bysuch disclosure, but, rather, it is intended to cover all modificationsand alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

1. An extendable balance beam assembly comprising (a) a connecting basehaving upper and lower planar surfaces, (b) a plurality of elongatedbalance beam sections and (c) a plurality of supporting bases adapted tobe positioned beneath each balance beam section, the improvement whereinthe balance sections are integrally attached to one another in a steprelationship and rotatably secured to one another with at least one ofthe balance beam sections rotatably attached to the connecting base. 2.The balance beam assembly of claim 1 wherein the sides of the supportingWSCS are trapezoidal in shape.
 3. The balance beam assembly of claim 1wherein the height of each supporting base is progressively higher asits distance from the connecting base increases.
 4. The balance beamassembly claim 1 wherein the supporting bases carry upwardly U-shapedledges on which the balance beam section may rest.
 5. The balance beamassembly of claim 4 wherein at least one vertically arranged tongue ispositioned to extend within the U-shaped ledge of a supporting base. 6.The balance beam assembly of claim 5 wherein each balance beam sectioncarries at least one vertically positioned groove into which the tongueof the supporting base slides.
 7. The balance beam assembly of claim 1wherein the balance beam sections may be rotated so as to be positionedone on top of each other to form a compact, integral and unifiedstructure for easy storage.
 8. The balance beam assembly of claim 1wherein at least two balance beam sections are rotatably secured to theconnecting base.
 9. An extendable balance beam assembly comprising (a) aconnecting base having upper and lower planar surfaces, (b) a pluralityof elongated balance beam sections having at least one verticallypositioned groove that extends within the balance beam section and (c) aplurality of supporting bases having trapezoidal sides and adapted to bepositioned beneath each balance beam section, wherein the supportingbases carry an upwardly extending U-shaped ledge on which a balance beamsection may rest, wherein the balance beam sections are integrallyattached to one another in a step relationship and rotatably secured toone another with at least one of the balance beam sections attached tothe connecting base and wherein the height of each supporting base isprogressively higher as its distance from the connecting base increases.10. The balance beam assembly of claim 9 wherein the balance beamsections may be rotated so as to be positioned one on top of each otherto form a compact, integral and unified structure for easy storage. 11.The balance beam assembly of claim 10 wherein at least two balance beamsections are rotatably attached to the connecting base.